What is Rommel in the Desert?

Rommel in the Desert is a fast-moving, challenging, tense, and playable wargame based on the North Africa desert campaign of World War II.

Rommel in the Desert simulates the experience of command. The real problems of generals have nothing to do with shuffling combat factors to get a perfect 3-1 attack while the enemy waits passively to be overwhelmed. Rommel gained many of his victories by employing speed, daring, and surprise.

The “Columbia Block System”

Rommel in the Desert is a Columbia Block System game. The game information for each piece is facing the player, but not the opponent! This allows a “fog-of-war” aspect of play that allows an extra layer of subtlety to gameplay. It allows for feints, bluffs, and outright surprises! 

Also, it has a step reduction system built into place as well! As units take damage, they simply are rotated to show their new strength. It is an innovative design that has been a fan favorite of gamers in the know for years!

Watch a video about the Columbia Block System here!

Download the Rules!

Want to charge right in? Then download the rules!

Classic Game / New Look!

For this new edition of Rommel in the Desert, we have taken great care to remake this classic game better than ever.  For example, the new Rommel map is 17×34 inches (taller than previous editions). This allows room to fit the 2 southern oases better on the map (the game effect is the same but they look better). It is a high-quality mounted map printed on 2 laminated sheets of 400gsm card stock, coated both on sides.

Learn the “Columbia Block System” right now!

What makes Rommel in the Desert also special is that it uses the “Columbia Block System“. It’s a system with the fog-of-war built into it that keep each opponent guessing! The combat system is simple and easy adapted for other genres with simple tweaks.

Go ahead and watch this short video that will get you up to speed in a matter of four minutes.


What do the Experts Say?

Dont take our word for it…

What others say about Rommel in the Desert

I could play this at least once a day, without EVER getting bored = 10

r0cka Comment on BoardGameGeek

This is just a hell of a game. It packs a lot of options into a reasonable amount of rules. The game isn’t always straightforward to learn because of all the moving parts, but once you figure it out, it’s quite amazing. I like it’s ‘big picture’ approach rather than worrying too much that about unit details. Also, I learned very well that I am no Rommel. Thankfully for history, he lost in just about every game I played (solitaire).

extension23 comment from BoardGameGeek

Superb. My favorite North African game by far. A game of both strategy and nerve. The use of the supply cards create a game-within-a-game.

bob_santafecomment from BoardGameGeek

Best desert game ever, awesome war-game, and it can work out to be a fantastic historical simulation as well. There is real art to fighting in this masterpiece. Exemplary play balance. It can take a full evening to play if one side or the other doesn’t get smoked early, which is a real possibility.

Gwfalconcomment from BoardGameGeek

Genuine knife edge stuff. Not a very forgiving game, but rewards supply chain management without book keeping which is genius. In the desert you have supply or you have nothing…

mdollin

This is currently my favorite 2-player game. I love how you can wipe out enemy units just by out-maneuvering them, and how one slip can end the game.

kuhrusty

The best block game and an excellent North Africa Game–clean, logical game system. You must be careful of the supply status of units and the potential for the cutoff of supply.

altohorn

In my view, an almost flawless wargame and probably my all time favourite. Also the only game which really captures the feel of the Western Desert campaign.

Nick Barker